Late Night Wanderings
by watchitstark
Summary: Hermione's been spending quite a bit of time wandering around the castle of late, and it's all to encounter her favourite professor. HG/MM femslash.


"Are you really going to go and get yourself caught again?" Harry asked with a grin as the brunette stood up, attempting to look nonchalant.

"Of course not," she paused. "I'm not sure it counts as getting caught if I don't get in trouble."

"Oh haha," he said sarcastically, laughing at his best friend. "Hermione, you have a problem, and it comes in the form of an emerald wearing Animagus."

"You might be right, actually. Who knew Sirius would be such a problem, even now?"

"Hermione," Harry scolded, chucking despite himself as he threw a pillow in her direction.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. Look, this whole thing with Minerva is not a big deal, I just like seeing her, and I also like walking around the castle at night, and this combines those two things."

"Yeah, it's not a big deal that you're in love with her, right?" he shook his head, smiling. "Off with you, anyway, before I decide that it's such a bad idea you should stay here with me."

"Alright I'm going," she easily walked to the portrait, throwing a "night" over her shoulder as she went.

She later found herself seated in a window sill, staring out over the grounds, legs braced against the stone wall opposite, smiling as she heard the measured steps of her favourite animagus approaching.

"Oh fancy seeing you here," Minerva greeted, hiding a smile as the younger witch turned to face her, resting her legs back on the floor, looking up at the taller woman.

"Wow I'd never have guessed that tonight was your turn on patrol," she said sarcastically, surprisingly brazenly.

"No it's not like you happen to appear on the nights that I'm on patrol with increasing regularity or anything," she responded dryly, eyebrow raised.

"Oh god, you noticed? And I thought I was being so sly," she stood up, smirking. "Isn't it just a wonderful evening for a stroll though?"

"Oh definitely, if draughty castles in the beginning of summer is your cup of tea," the older witch couldn't help smirking back, even as she realised they probably looked ridiculous, smirking at each other in the middle of a random corridor.

"Sure, and it's not that draughty, most of the windows are shut anyway," she grinned. "How do you make sure every window is shut? Do you ever bother?"

"I don't think I've ever wondered about that, I don't need to," she laughed. "Hogwarts can take care of itself, it just needs someone to take care of the pupils," she paused. "Now you should be in bed. Head girl or not, you still have lessons tomorrow like everyone else."

"Of course, though I just happen to have my favourite subject first thing in the morning, and I'm sure that looking forward to that will get me out of bed immediately." the brunette grinned, but followed as the taller witch started to walk her back towards Gryffindor Tower.

"Hmm, flattery will get you everywhere Miss Granger," despite reverting back to Hermione's surname she was still smiling, though the younger witch could tell that she was trying not to.

"Oh but Professor I'm being honest," she said as innocently as possible, smirking.

"If you were anyone else I'd be surprised that you're still attending lessons, considering that you could have taken your NEWTs at the end of last year and got Os."

"Now who's using flattery,?" Hermione laughed. "Maybe I could have done, but I wanted to come back, try out a year where nobody threatens to kill me or my best friends."

"Have you succeeded so far?"

"I believe so, but at any minute I keep on expecting a Slytherin to jump out from around a corner and attempt to avenge one of their relative's deaths or something."

"I'm sure you could abort any such attempt quite easily," the older witch smiled.

"Oh you're flattering me again," she laughed.

"I'm being honest, I remember during the battle you were one of the fiercest on the field, even though many of the witches and wizards there outstripped you in both age and strength."

Hermione blushed and looked down. "I had been working particularly hard on many of my defensive and offensive spells," she admitted, then was surprised when Minerva came to a stop, turning to face her.

"You're one of the most talented witches I've ever met," she admitted. "And that is not something that can be learned."

"Oh, erm, thank you," she said shyly, unsure how to take such praise from someone she admired and respected so much, from someone she loved. "I thought you were furious with me for being out after curfew," she joked, grinning, lightening the mood.

"I could never be furious with you," she admitted. "Now, you need escorting, so let me escort you. If Filch turns up we'll both be in trouble."

"Yes Professor," she said solemnly, making them both laugh.

They stopped outside the portrait, around the corner so that they didn't wake The Fat Lady up until Hermione actually had to pass through.

"Thank you for seeing me safely back to Gryffindor Tower Headmistress," Hermione grinned.

"You haven't called me Headmistress all year," she laughed. "You don't have to either, I would say that we can at least drop the formalities to Professor, or Minerva if you would like and no other students are around," she offered, wincing a little internally at how much of herself she had offered to this girl, intentionally or not, wincing at the fact that this student of hers had stolen her heart.

"Minerva," she tested quietly, grinning. "It's an honour," and then she mock bowed, making the older woman laugh and shake her head.

"What am I going to do with you, hmm?" she teased, smiling.

"That's a question that only you can answer," Hermione said, again laughing at the mock seriousness and grinning brightly at the older woman.

"Maybe I'll have to throw you in detention, considering I'm sure you were banking on the fact that I wouldn't that."

"Minneervvvaaa," she whined, pouting like a small child. "Please don't?"

The older witch was acutely aware of how close together they were stood, of the fact that she could smell the light perfume that Hermione wore, she could see the flecks of gold in the younger woman's eyes, she was conscious of the way that the brunette's tongue flicked out to dampen dry lips.

"And why shouldn't I?" she challenged, attempting to keep hold of the conversation, determined to not be so distracted by desire that she couldn't continue to think of witty retorts.

"Because I'm your favourite student?" she attempted. "Because I'm getting the highest marks in all of my classes anyway?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure that's going to be enough this time, maybe a more extensive punishment would stop your wandering the halls at night."

"What if I said it was just to see you?" she offered, grinning.

Minerva looked at her for a long moment, smiling wide, and suddenly she was leaning in, pressing her lips to the ones before her, and Hermione was kissing her back, wrapping her arms around her neck, pressing herself closer to the older woman.

She drew back, smiling at the younger woman, shaking her head. "You know if you grin at me like that with your eyes sparkling I can't resist. Now, back to Gryffindor Tower before I make that detention a reality."

"Yes Headmistress," she said sarcastically, kissing her softly once more before disappearing around the corner, leaving Minerva staring after her, longing for the term to end.


End file.
